The Iberian System ( es, Sistema Ibérico, ) is one of the major systems of

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have ari ...

s in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. It consists of a vast and complex area of mostly relatively high and rugged mountain chains and massifs located in the central region of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...

, but reaching almost the Mediterranean coast in the

Valencian Community The Valencian Community ( ca-valencia, Comunitat Valenciana, es, Comunidad Valenciana) is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid wi ...

in the east. The system is

hydrographically Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the primar ...

important, as it separates the watersheds of most of the major rivers in Spain and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

, including the

Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...

basin from the basins of the Douro,

Tagus The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections, to e ...

Guadiana The Guadiana River (, also , , ), or Odiana, is an international river defining a long stretch of the Portugal-Spain border, separating Extremadura and Andalusia (Spain) from Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal). The river's basin extends from the e ...

(

Záncara The Záncara is a 168 km long river in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It is a tributary to the Guadiana. Its source is near the village Abia de la Obispalía, west of Cuenca, in the Iberian System. The Záncara flows southwest, along the town of ...

- Gigüela),

Júcar left The Júcar () or Xúquer () is a river on the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. The river runs for approximately 509 km from its source at Ojuelos de Valdeminguete, on the eastern flank of the Montes Universales, Sistema Ibérico. Its most ...

and Turia. There are important

mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...

areas in some of the ranges such as

Sierra Menera Sierra Menera is a long mountain range in the southwestern end of the Iberian System. Administratively the Sierra Menera belongs to the Sierra de Albarracín, Jiloca and Comunidad de Teruel, comarcas of Aragon, as well as to the Province of Guad ...

, Sierra de Arcos and

Sierra de San Just Sierra de San Just ( an, Sierra de Sant Chust) is a mountain range in the Cuencas Mineras comarca of Aragon, Teruel Province, Spain. The highest point in the range is San Just (1,522 m). This range is located in one of the coldest and most r ...

, making the system one of the chief mining regions in Spain since ancient times. One of the

comarcas of Aragon Here is a list of the administrative '' comarcas'' (counties) in the autonomous community of Aragon in Spain. They were officially delimited in 1999, with substantial changes over a previously proposed division. See also * Comarcal council *Co ...

located in the Iberian System was given the name of

Cuencas Mineras Cuencas Mineras is a comarca in Aragon, Spain. It is located in Teruel Province, in the mountainous area of the Sistema Ibérico. The administrative capital is Utrillas, with 3,346 inhabitants the largest town of the comarca, but the historical a ...

, lit. 'Mining Basins', since mining is the main activity in the comarca.

Location and description

The Sistema Ibérico mountain range borders the Meseta Central on its eastern end and separates the Meseta Central from the

Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...

valley and from the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

coast. This system runs northwest-southeast between the Ebro plain and the Meseta Central for over 500 km, from the

La Bureba La Bureba is a ''comarca'' located in the northeast of the Province of Burgos in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is bounded on the north by Las Merindades, east by the Comarca del Ebro, south-east by the Montes de Oca and ...

corridor in Burgos Province close to the

Cordillera Cantábrica , etymology=Named after the Cantabri , photo=Cordillera Cantábrica vista desde el Castro Valnera.jpg , photo_caption=Cantabrian Mountains parallel to the Cantabrian Sea seen from Castro Valnera in an east-west direction. In the background, t ...

to the

sea close to

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

in the south and close to

Tortosa Tortosa (; ) is the capital of the '' comarca'' of Baix Ebre, in Catalonia, Spain. Tortosa is located at above sea level, by the Ebro river, protected on its northern side by the mountains of the Cardó Massif, of which Buinaca, one of the hig ...

and the Ebro Delta in the east. The bulk of the Sistema Ibérico is located in the southern half of

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to s ...

. The

Prebaetic System The Prebaetic System ( es, Sistemas Prebéticos or ''Sistema Prebético'', also often referred to simply as ''Prebético'') is a system of mountain ranges that forms the northeasternmost prolongation of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian P ...

rises south of the southernmost end of the Iberian System. The

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other Astronomical object, astronomical objects, the features or rock (geology), rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology ...

of the Iberian System is complex, for it can hardly be defined as a homogeneous system. It is composed of a haphazard and motley series of

s, massifs,

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

s and depressions without a definite common petrologic composition and overall structure. Nummulite

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

and

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicat ...

are common throughout the area. Some of the parts of the system stand geologically isolated, interrupting the continuity of the whole, linked to the other parts through high plateaus of varying altitudes.

Ecology and human activity

Population decline

Large zones of the mountainous Iberian System have undergone heavy

depopulation A population decline (also sometimes called underpopulation, depopulation, or population collapse) in humans is a reduction in a human population size. Over the long term, stretching from prehistory to the present, Earth's total human population ...

since the early 20th century. There are many

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

s and

abandoned village An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages have been deserted for a variety of causes. Abandonment of villages is often related to epidemic, ...

s scattered across different parts of the Iberian System, especially in Teruel Province. Currently a great number of surviving towns have only a residual population. In some cases, many of the inhabitants are not natives anymore but immigrants from

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

or the

Maghreb The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...

working as contract laborers in agricultural activities. The exodus from the rural mountainous areas in Spain rose after General Franco's ''

Plan de Estabilización A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal. ...

'' in 1959. The

population decline A population decline (also sometimes called underpopulation, depopulation, or population collapse) in humans is a reduction in a human population size. Over the long term, stretching from prehistory to the present, Earth's total human population ...

d steeply as people emigrated towards the industrial areas of the large cities and the coastal towns where the tourism industry was growing. Other causes of high emigration have been the abandonment by the local youth of traditional agricultural practices that were the mainstay of the village economy, such as

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...

and

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

rearing, as well as the lifestyle changes that swept over rural Spain during the second half of the 20th century.

Fauna

The heavy depopulation has favored wildlife so that one of the last colonies of griffon vultures in Europe is in the Iberian System.

Wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

and eagles ('' Aquila chrysaetos'', '' Hieraaetus fasciatus'', '' Hieraaetus pennatus'', '' Circaetus gallicus'') are also relatively common in the lonely heights. Among the mammals, the Spanish ibex,

roe deer The roe deer (''Capreolus capreolus''), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe, is a species of deer. The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck. The roe is a small deer, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapt ...

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species i ...

European badger The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the family Mustelidae native to almost all of Europe. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List as it has a wide range and a large stab ...

s, common genets, among others, have their habitat in many of these desolate mountain ranges. The most common

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates ( lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalia ...

s in the Iberian System are '' Lacerta lepida'', ''

Psammodromus algirus ''Psammodromus algirus'', known commonly as the Algerian psammodromus, the Algerian sand racer, and the large psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to western Europe and northwestern Africa. Geog ...

'', ''

Psammodromus hispanicus ''Psammodromus hispanicus'', the Spanish psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in France, Portugal, and Spain. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, sandy sho ...

'', '' Podarcis muralis'' and ''

Podarcis hispanicus ''Podarcis hispanicus,'' also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus ''Podarcis''. It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France. In Sp ...

''. ''

Chalcides chalcides The Italian three-toed skink or the cylindrical skink (''Chalcides chalcides'') is a species of lizard found from Italy (including Sicily, Sardinia and Elba), to northern Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia. It is common in some locations and i ...

'', ''

Chalcides bedriagai ''Chalcides bedriagai'', commonly known as Bedriaga's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. It usually lives in sandy areas with sparse vegetation and good ground cover. It can al ...

'' and ''

Anguis fragilis The slow worm (''Anguis fragilis'') is a reptile native to western Eurasia. It is also called a deaf adder, a slowworm, a blindworm, or regionally, a long-cripple and hazelworm. These legless lizards are also sometimes called common slowworms. Th ...

'', are relatively rarer. The snakes present in these mountains are '' Natrix maura'', '' Natrix natrix'', ''

Malpolon monspessulanus ''Malpolon monspessulanus'', commonly known as the Montpellier snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake. Geographic range It is very common in Spain, Portugal and Northwest Africa, being also present in the southern Mediterranea ...

'', '' Elaphe scalaris'', ''

Coronella girondica :''Common names:'' southern smooth snake, Riccioli's snake.'' ''Coronella girondica'' is a species of harmless snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to southern Europe and northern Africa. No subspecies are recognized as being v ...

'', ''

Coronella austriaca The smooth snake (''Coronella austriaca'')Street D (1979). ''The Reptiles of Northern and Central Europe''. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. 268 pp. . is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is found in northern and cen ...

'' and '' Vipera latastei''. Some

amphibian Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbo ...

s are abundant in or near ponds and rivulets throughout the whole system, such as '' Rana perezi'', '' Bufo bufo'', '' Bufo calamita'', '' Alytes obstetricans'', ''

Triturus marmoratus The marbled newt (''Triturus marmoratus'') is a mainly terrestrial newt native to western Europe. They are found in the Iberian Peninsula and France, where they typically inhabit mountainous areas. Habitat and distribution The marbled newt is ...

'' and ''

Lissotriton helveticus The palmate newt (''Lissotriton helveticus'') is a species of newt found in Western Europe, from Great Britain to the northern Iberian peninsula. It is long and olive or brown with some dark spots. The underside is yellow to orange, and the thr ...

'', the latter also at high altitude, whether in intermittent or permanent bodies of water. ''

Hyla arborea The European tree frog (''Hyla arborea'') is a small tree frog. As traditionally defined, it was found throughout much of Europe, Asia and northern Africa,Frost, Darrel R. ''Amphibian Species of the World''. Allen Press, Inc., 1985, p. 126. but b ...

'' and '' Salamandra salamandra'' are somewhat rarer, but still having a wide distribution, especially in humid forested zones. The Iberian ribbed newt ''( Pleurodeles waltl)'', however, is rarely found in the mountainous areas. Aquatic invertebrates, including the '' Austropotamobius pallipes'' crayfish, and certain fishes, such as '' Salaria fluviatilis'' and ''

Cobitis paludica ''Cobitis paludica'' is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cobitidae. It is found in Portugal and Spain. Its natural habitats are rivers and intermittent rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habi ...

'' are common in the upper course of the Sistema Ibérico rivers. Some mountain streams have been stocked with

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salm ...

. Traditional

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

rearing activities, formerly so important in central Iberia, still survive on dry grasslands in certain villages around the system. There are also many

hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

s visiting some of the ranges, mainly those that are relatively closer to the urban areas and especially on weekends.

Vegetation

Some ranges have forested patches, consisting mainly of '' Pinus pinaster'', '' Pinus sylvestris'' and '' Pinus uncinata'' pines and ''

Quercus rotundifolia ''Quercus rotundifolia'', the holm oak or ballota oak, is an evergreen oak native to the western Mediterranean region, with the majority on the Iberian Peninsula and minor populations in Northwest Africa. The species was first described by Jea ...

'', ''

Quercus pyrenaica ''Quercus pyrenaica'', commonly known as Pyrenean oak, is a tree native to southwestern Europe and northwestern North Africa. Despite its common name, it is rarely found in the Pyrenees Mountains and is more abundant in northern Portugal and nor ...

'' and '' Quercus faginea'' oaks, even ''

Fagus sylvatica ''Fagus sylvatica'', the European beech or common beech is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae. Description ''Fagus sylvatica'' is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to tall and trunk diameter, though more ...

'' beeches and '' Betula pendula'' birches grow in some humid slopes, where '' Pteridium aquilinum'', '' Polypodium vulgare'' ferns may also be found. Other ranges are rocky and quite bare with

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler a ...

(''

Erica arborea ''Erica arborea'', the tree heath or tree heather, is a species of flowering plant (angiosperms) in the heather family Ericaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin and Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. It is also cultivated as an o ...

'', '' Erica vagans'', ''

Calluna vulgaris ''Calluna vulgaris'', common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus ''Calluna'' in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found wid ...

''),

broom A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...

as well as

thyme Thyme () is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus ''Thymus'' of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus '' Origanum'', with both plants being mostly indigen ...

and ''

Festuca ''Festuca'' (fescue) is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the grass family Poaceae (subfamily Pooideae). They are evergreen or herbaceous perennial tufted grasses with a height range of and a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on ever ...

'' and '' Nardus stricta'' grasslands. Thin forest or

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It ...

may include '' Juniperus communis'', ''

Juniperus thurifera ''Juniperus thurifera'' (Spanish juniper) is a species of juniper native to the mountains of the western Mediterranean region, from southern France (including Corsica) across eastern and central Spain to Morocco and locally in northern Algeria.A ...

'', ''

Cytisus purgans ''Cytisus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, native to open sites (typically scrub and heathland) in Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae, and is one of several genera in the tri ...

'', '' Erinacea anthyllis'' and ''Calluna vulgaris'' shrub. Often the southern slopes are drier than the northern ones and may be subject to

wildfires A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identif ...

in periods of prolonged drought, especially in the summer.

Bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

s are not common in the Iberian Peninsula, but high altitude bogs form in the few areas of the Sistema Ibérico where the water remains stagnant, such as near Orihuela del Tremedal,

Bronchales Bronchales is a village and municipality located in the Sierra de Albarracín province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nucle ...

and in the place known as ''Fuente del Hierro'', at an altitude between 1.400 and 1.550 m. The plants growing in these bogs are mainly ''

Polytrichum ''Polytrichum'' is a genus of mosses — commonly called haircap moss or hair moss — which contains approximately 70 species that cover a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus ''Polytrichum'' has a number of closely related sporophytic characte ...

'' mosses, ''

Potentilla erecta ''Potentilla erecta'' (syn. ''Tormentilla erecta'', ''Potentilla laeta'', ''Potentilla tormentilla'', known as the (common) tormentil, septfoil or erect cinquefoil ) is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the rose family (Rosaceae). Descr ...

'', '' Pinguicula vulgaris'', ''

Vaccinium myrtillus ''Vaccinium myrtillus'' or European blueberry is a holarctic species of shrub with edible fruit of blue color, known by the common names bilberry, blaeberry, wimberry, and whortleberry. It is more precisely called common bilberry or blue whortle ...

'', ''

'', and also ''

Drosera rotundifolia ''Drosera rotundifolia'', the round-leaved sundew, roundleaf sundew, or common sundew, is a carnivorous species of flowering plant that grows in bogs, marshes and fens. One of the most widespread sundew species, it has a circumboreal distribu ...

'', a

carnivorous plant Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants still generate some of their energy from photosynthesis ...

that doesn't grow further south in Western Europe. '' Centaurea pinnata'' is an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

of plant present in the

Sierra de Vicort Sierra de Vicort, also known as Sierra de Vicor ( an, Sierra de Bicort), is a long mountain range in the Comunidad de Calatayud and Campo de Daroca comarcas of Aragon, Spain. The ridge is aligned in a NW-SE direction. It stretches southeast of t ...

and Sierra de Santa Cruz mountain ranges.

Mountain ranges

The Sistema Ibérico comprises several mountain ranges and massifs: *Northern: Sierra de la Demanda,

Sierra de Neila Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...

, Mesa de Cebollera and the Picos de Urbión in the northwest, the Sierra de Alcarama, Sierra de Peñalmonte, Sierra de Moncalvillo and the isolated Moncayo Massif in the north, always crested with snow in the winter, with its eastern prolongation the

Sierra de Nava Alta Sierra de Nava Alta or Sierra de la Nava Alta is a mountain range in the Valdejalón comarca, Aragon, Spain, located west of the A-121 road, between Fuendejalón and Ricla and east of Tierga and Mesones de Isuela. Geography The ridge's highes ...

. *Western: Smaller and drier mountain ranges close to the transition area with the Sistema Central, such as Sierra de Perdices, Sierra Ministra, Sierra de Caldereros (Águila 1,443 m), Sierra de Pardos, Sierra de Miñana,

Sierra de Solorio The Solorio Range ( es, Sierra de Solorio) is a mountain range located in the western side of the Iberian System, Spain. It straddles Aragon, Castile-La Mancha and Castile and León. Description The ridge is roughly aligned in an E-W direction. ...

, Sierra de Selas (Aragoncillo 1,517 m) and Parameras de Molina (Mojón Alto 1,408 m). *Central: Numerous mountain ranges located at the heart of the system, such as

Sierra de la Virgen Sierra de la Virgen is a mountain range in the Aranda and Comunidad de Calatayud comarcas, Aragon, Spain. It is located south of the Moncayo Massif between the valleys of the Jalón and the Aranda rivers, rising north of the N-234 road, roughly ...

, Sierra de Algairén, Sierra de Santa Cruz,

Sierra de Cucalón Sierra de Cucalón is a long system of mountain ranges in Aragon, Spain, located between the comarcas of Jiloca and Cuencas Mineras. Geography These mountains are part of the Iberian System and are often covered with snow in the winter. Rivers ...

, Sierra de Herrera,

, Sierra de Lidón and

Sierra Palomera Sierra (Spanish for " mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range ...

, among others. *Southwestern: Serranía de Cuenca,

Sierra de Albarracín Sierra de Albarracín is a long mountain range in the southwestern end of the Iberian System. Its highest point is the 1,856 m high summit known as Sierra Alta. Description This mountain range is named after the town of Albarracín, located at ...

, Montes de Picaza (Colmenarejo 1,426 m), Montes Universales and Sierra de Mira. *Southeastern:

Sierra de Javalambre Sierra de Javalambre ( an, Sierra de Chabalambre) is a long mountain range in the Gúdar-Javalambre comarca of Aragon and the Rincón de Ademuz and Serrans comarcas of the Valencian Community, Spain. Highway N-234 winds its way between Sie ...

, Sierra del Toro,

Sierra de Gúdar Sierra de Gúdar is a mountain range in the Gúdar-Javalambre and Maestrazgo comarcas of Aragon and the Alto Mijares comarca of the Valencian Community, Spain. The highest point in the range is Peñarroya (2,019 m). Geography This mountai ...

, Sierra de Mayabona, Sierra de Camarena, Sierra de Sollavientos, Sierra del Rayo, and Sierra de Pina. *Eastern: A succession of ranges that reaches the Mediterranean Sea, including the

Maestrat The Maestrazgo () or Maestrat () is a natural and historical mountainous region, located at the eastern end of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range, in Spain. It encompasses the north of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, in Castellón provin ...

Maestrazgo The Maestrazgo () or Maestrat () is a natural and historical mountainous region, located at the eastern end of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range, in Spain. It encompasses the north of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, in Castellón provin ...

with the Penyagolosa Massif,

Sierra de la Lastra Sierra (Spanish for " mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range ...

, Sierra de los Caballos,

Sierra de Garrocha Sierra (Spanish for " mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range ...

Sierra de la Cañada Sierra (Spanish for " mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range ...

Sierra Carrascosa Sierra Carrascosa is a mountain range in the Maestrazgo comarca of Aragon, Teruel Province, Spain. The highest point in the range is Muela Carrascosa (1,214 m). The Guadalope River flows along the NW side of the range. Geography This 14 km ...

, the Ports de Morella, Serra de la Creu, Serra d'En Segures,

Serra d'en Galceran Serra d'En Galceran (; es, Sierra de Engarcerán) is a mountain range of the Valencian Community, Spain. Geography The main peaks of the range are the 1,078 m high Tossal de la Vila, Penya Blanca (951 m) and Tossal de la Toiola (939 m). This r ...

, Serra d'Esparreguera,

Serra de Vallivana Serra de Vallivana (, es, Sierra de Vallivana) or Muntanyes de Vallivana is an over long mountain range straddling the Alt Maestrat and Baix Maestrat comarcas, Valencian Community, Spain. Geography The highest point of the range is the 1,275 ...

Serra d'En Celler Serra d'En Celler is a mountain range of the Valencian Community, Spain. Its main peaks are 1,281 m high Tossal de la Nevera and Tossal d'Orenga (1,144 m). Geography The heights of the Serra d'En Celler range are frequently covered with snow ev ...

Serra del Turmell Serra del Turmell, also known as Serra del Mont Turmell, ( es, Sierra del Turmell) is an over long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. These mountains and their neighboring ranges are a desolate place with l ...

Serra de l'Espadella Serra de l'Espadella ( es, Sierra de la Espandela) is an over long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. Its highest point is Espadella (968 m). These mountains are frequently covered in snow in the winter. Ge ...

and the

Moles de Xert Moles de Xert (, es, Muelas de Chert) is a long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Country, Spain. Its highest point is Mola Gran (806 m). The other main summits are ''Mola Murada,'' a breast-shaped hill, ''Moleta Redona'' ...

, as well as the Talaies d'Alcalà, Serra de la Vall d'Àngel, the

Cervera Mountains The Cervera Mountains ( ca-valencia, Muntanyes de Cervera) is an long mountain range in the Baix Maestrat comarca, Valencian Community, Spain. In some ancient texts these mountains are known as Serra d'en Menor. Its highest point is Revoltons, ...

, Serra de Sant Pere,

Serra Calderona Serra Calderona (; es, Sierra Calderona), often referred to as La Calderona is a long mountain range in the Camp de Túria, Horta Nord and Alt Palància comarcas of the Valencian Community, between the provinces of Castelló and Valencia Sp ...

and Serra d'Espadà foothills at the eastern end. *Northeastern: A complex mountainous area connecting with the

Catalan Pre-Coastal Range The Catalan Pre-Coastal Range ( ca, Serralada Prelitoral Catalana) is a system of mountain ranges running parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coast in Catalonia. It is part of the Catalan Mediterranean System. Its main axis runs between the Catal ...

, which includes the

Ports de Tortosa-Beseit Ports de Tortosa-Beseit (), also known as Ports de Beseit, or simply as Els Ports or Lo Port by locals, is a limestone mountain massif located at the north-eastern end of the Sistema Ibérico, a complex system of mountain ranges and massifs in ...

Montipedia - Spanish
and the Benifassà Mountains.

Main subranges and features

File:Molinos50.JPG, The arid Sierra de los Caballos range rises behind Molinos File:Cueva de agreda24.JPG, The main peaks of the Moncayo Massif rising behind Cueva de Agreda File:Bollón89.JPG,

Sierra del Bollón Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range i ...

, foothills of the Moncayo Massif, near

Fuendejalón Fuendejalón ( an, Fuent de Xalón) is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2010 census the municipality has a population of 953 inhabitants. Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain) The Sierra de ...

File:Daroca - Vista general 01.JPG, Sierra de Santa Cruz near Daroca File:Roques de Benet.jpg, The massive Roques de Benet in the western side of the

Ports de Beseit Ports de Tortosa-Beseit (), also known as Ports de Beseit, or simply as Els Ports or Lo Port by locals, is a limestone mountain massif located at the north-eastern end of the Sistema Ibérico, a complex system of mountain ranges and massifs in ...

File:Serra de Mayabona.jpg, Sierra Mayabona File:Laguna Negra Sierra Urbion.jpg, The Laguna Negra in the Picos de Urbión area File:Ejulve (Andorra-Sierra de Arcos, Teruel, Aragón.jpg,

above

Ejulve Ejulve is a municipality located in the Andorra-Sierra de Arcos comarca, province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2011 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear res ...

File:Monasterio de Piedra - Cola de Caballo.jpg, Waterfall in the Monasterio de Piedra Natural Park File:Sierra-de-algairen400.JPG, Sierra de Algairén towering behind Almonacid de la Sierra File:Sierra de Albarracín II.jpg, Rugged

File:BosquePinoNegroValdelinares.JPG, Black pine trees near Valdelinares,

File:La Modorra34.JPG, La Modorra, highest peak in the

system File:Gotor2.JPG,

behind

Gotor Gotor is a municipality located in the Aranda Comarca province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research center * ...

File:Morella Panorama 2.jpg, View of Morella File:20080817-Calatayud.jpg, Calatayud with the

in the background File:Purujosa Cabezo.jpg, Purujosa from the Cabezo File:Detall extracions ferro.JPG,

Open-pit mining Open-pit mining, also known as open-cast or open-cut mining and in larger contexts mega-mining, is a surface mining technique of extracting rock or minerals from the earth from an open-air pit, sometimes known as a borrow. This form of mini ...

iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the ...

File:Penyagolosa pic1.JPG, The Penyagolosa summit File:Sierra de Alcarama La Rioja Spain 878.JPG, Sierra de Alcarama in La Rioja File:Rubielos de la Cérida impact structure central uplift chain.jpg, "Pico Palomera", part of the central-uplift chain in the Rubielos de la Cérida

impact structure An impact structure is a generally circular or craterlike geologic structure of deformed bedrock or sediment produced by impact on a planetary surface, whatever the stage of erosion of the structure. In contrast, an impact crater is the surfa ...

File:Brieva01.jpg, Cabezo del Santo, Sierra de Castejón,

Brieva de Cameros Brieva de Cameros is a village in the province and autonomous community of La Rioja, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' ...

, La Rioja File:Los Callejones de Las Majadas 2.jpg, Los Callejones de Las Majadas in the Serranía de Cuenca File:Calmarza.jpg, View of

Calmarza Calmarza is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2010 census Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain) the municipality has a population of 77 inhabitants. This town is located close to the limits ...

with the

cliffs above the town File:Penalcazar.jpg, Sierra de Miñana seen from Peñalcázar castle, Soria Province File:Pico Ranera.jpg, Ranera Peak in Sierra de Mira File:Sierra Carrascosa34.JPG, Northeastern end of

with the "Guerrero Romano" rock formation File:Monegre90.JPG, Monegre peak in

File:Isasa.JPG, South face of Isasa Peak, Sierra de Peñalmonte File:Laguna de Gallocanta.jpg,

Laguna de Gallocanta The Gallocanta Lake ( es, Laguna de Gallocanta) is an endorheic lake in Aragon, Spain. Falling within the boundaries of two provinces, Teruel and Zaragoza, the lake is located just to the south of Gallocanta village, between the Aragonese comarc ...

, located in an

endorheic basin An endorheic basin (; also spelled endoreic basin or endorreic basin) is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water, such as rivers or oceans, but drainage converges instead into lakes ...

within the Iberian System File:Sierra de arcos71.JPG, Hill in the Sierra de Arcos area with unusual rock formations on top File:VISTABELLA.jpg, Vistabella de Huerva below Sierra de Herrera range File:Paridera_Cueva_del_Río_Piedra.jpg, Paridera cave, in the Piedra river, next to Monasterio de Piedra, Spain File:Montenegro de Cameros.jpg,

Montenegro de Cameros Montenegro de Cameros is a municipality located in the midst of the Iberian System mountains, province of Soria, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calcul ...

, typical village in the northern part of the range

Peaks

The main peaks of the system are: Moncayo (2,313 m),

Monte San Lorenzo Monte San Lorenzo, also known as Monte Cochrane, is a mountain on the border between Argentina and Chile in Patagonia, reaching a height of .World Wildlife Fund; C.Michael Hogan. 2010''Magellanic subpolar forests''. Encyclopedia of Earth, Nationa ...

(2,262 m), Pico de Urbión (2,228 m), Peña Cebollera (2,129 m), Javalambre (2,020 m) and Peñarroya (2,019 m). Other locally important summits are

Cerro Calderón Cerro is Spanish for "hill" or "mountain". Toponyms ;Bolivia: * Cerro Rico, the "Rich Mountain" containing silver ore near Potosi, Bolivia ;Brazil: *Cerro Branco, a municipality of Rio Grande do Sul *Cerro Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, a municipa ...

(1,837 m),

Mont Caro Mont Caro () or Caro is the highest mountain of the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit, Catalonia, Spain. Geography It has an elevation of 1,441 metres above sea level.. There are two large antennas and a Virgin Mary shrine on top of the summit. This mount ...

(1,441 m),

Tossal d'Orenga Tossal d'Orenga is a mountain of the Serra d'En Celler range, Valencian Community, Spain. It reaches an elevation of above sea level.

(1,144 m) and Montegordo (837 m),

Rivers

The Sistema Ibérico is not as high as other mountain systems in Spain. It is, however, very significant from the hydrographic point of view for important rivers of the Iberian Peninsula have their source in its mountains, which divide the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

from the

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

. The following rivers rise in the Sistema Ibérico: *The Douro and the

, flowing westwards across the Meseta Central towards

*The

Jalón Xaló (; es, Jalón ), is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Marina Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain. Geography The town of Jalón is located in the Jalón Valley. The Jalón or Gorgos river crosses the town, which has a length of . ...

River, one of the main tributaries of the

Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...

, flowing northwards, as well as the

Huerva The Huerva River is a river in Aragon, Spain. It is a tributary of the Ebro. Its mean annual discharge is only . Course This long river rises in the Sierra de Cucalón, near Fonfría in the Jiloca Comarca. Flowing northwestwards near Lagueru ...

and the Aranda River *The Turia, the

and the Cabriel flowing eastwards across the

towards the Mediterranean Sea

References

External links

Spain - The Valley Of The Ebro, Aragon And CataloniaEnciclopedia Aragonesa

Aragonese part of the Sistema IbéricoSierra de CucalónMendikat - Moncayo

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sistema Iberico Mountain ranges of Spain Iberico Iberico Iberico Iberico Iberico Iberico 01